1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a settlement server, a settlement request server and a settlement execution terminal. For example, in response to a request from the settlement request server, the settlement server makes settlement by electronic money in the settlement execution terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, settlement systems using electronic money have come into wide use.
The electronic money is electronic information having a monetary value, called “VALUE”, which is equivalent to cash, and the electronic money is stored in an IC chip and used in the same manner as in prepaid cards by increasing/decreasing the amount of “VALUE”.
For example, a contactless-type IC chip is used as the IC chip (hereinafter, referred to as the “electronic money IC chip”). The electronic money IC chip has functions of, for example, storing the “VALUE” and updating the amount of stored “VALUE” based on externally inputted amount update information, and is embedded in a cell phone or a plastic card, along with a communication antenna.
The amount of “VALUE” stored in the electronic money IC chip can be increased/decreased by using a dedicated terminal device installed in a store or the like, and it also can be increased/decreased based on amount update information transmitted via the Internet from an electronic money server operated by an electronic money business entity.
A service based on this has been proposed in which a server on the Internet (e.g., a game content sales server) requests the electronic money server to settle a payment for merchandise or service sold to a user, and the electronic money server decreases the amount of “VALUE” equivalent to the price from the user's electronic money IC chip.
By using this service, the user can settle the payment by the “VALUE” stored in the electronic money IC chip.
In addition, a business entity that entrusts the electronic money server with making settlement is referred to as an “affiliated store”, which is previously registered with the electronic money business entity, and a server device by which the affiliated store sells merchandise and services is referred to as an “affiliated store server”.
Such a technology for allowing the electronic money server to be entrusted with making settlement upon request from the affiliated store server is disclosed in unpublished Japanese patent application No. 2003-60522 filed by the present applicant.
The technology proposed by the above application is outlined with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 11.
Note that a cell phone as described below is capable of connecting to the Internet, and includes an electronic money IC chip, so that the electronic money server and the electronic money IC chip can communicate with each other via the Internet.
First, the user uses the cell phone to access a sales site on the affiliated store server. The sales site offers paid downloads of game content, and sells books online.
When the user selects merchandise to purchase and confirms a payment amount, the cell phone transmits an electronic mail address for the cell phone to the sales server (step 105).
The affiliated store server receives the electronic mail address from the cell phone, and transmits it to the electronic money server along with transaction information containing an affiliated store code, a settlement amount, an order number, etc., thereby entrusting the electronic money server with settling a payment (step 110).
The electronic money server receives the transaction information and the electronic mail address, and in response to this, generates (assigns) a transaction number (step 115).
Then, the electronic money server saves transaction details (the transaction information, the transaction number, the electronic mail address, etc.) into a database (step 120).
After storing the transaction details as described above, the electronic money server generates settlement start mail, and transmits it to the cell phone based on the electronic mail address received from the affiliated store server (step 125).
The settlement start mail is electronic mail for making settlement by “VALUE” stored in the cell phone, and embedded with the transaction number, for example, in the encrypted form that cannot be recognized by the user.
When the user receives the settlement start mail on the cell phone, he/she activates a mailer (an application for transmitting/receiving electronic mail) to display the settlement start mail on the cell phone's display for confirmation of details (step 130).
For example, the display presents information by which the user confirms a transaction targeted for the settlement, and a settlement start button for starting the settlement.
When the user selects the settlement start button, the cell phone connects to the electronic money server, and transmits the transaction number attached with the settlement start mail (step 135).
The electronic money server accepts the connection with the cell phone, and receives the transaction number. Then, the electronic money server identifies the settlement amount by checking the received transaction number against the transaction details previously stored in the database.
The reason why the transaction number related with the settlement amount, rather than the settlement amount itself, is transmitted to the cell phone is to prevent the settlement amount from being altered by the cell phone.
Next, the electronic money server communicates with the electronic money IC chip provided in the cell phone (the cell phone has an application provided therein for allowing the electronic money server to communicate with the electronic money IC chip), and transmits, to the electronic money IC chip, amount update information for decreasing “VALUE” by the settlement amount.
The electronic money IC chip receives the amount update information from the electronic money server to update the balance of stored “VALUE” to a value less the settlement amount, and transmits, to the electronic money server, a completion notice for notifying that the updating has been completed. Then, the electronic money server confirms, based on the completion notice, that the settlement has been completed.
In this manner, the electronic money server and the electronic money IC chip communicates with each other to perform a settlement process (step 150).
Upon confirmation that the settlement has been completed, the electronic money server transmits settlement completion mail to the cell phone (step 155).
The settlement completion mail is electronic mail for notifying that a settlement related with a transaction in question has been completed. The cell phone receives the electronic mail, and presents it on the display for confirmation by the user (step 160).
Further, the electronic money server notifies a settlement result for each transaction to the affiliated store server for confirmation by the affiliated store server (step 170).
In the above-described unpublished approach, the electronic money server performs, on a transaction-by-transaction basis, the transaction number assignment, the holding of the transaction details and the transmission of the completion notice to the affiliated store server, and therefore the number of communications and the size of information that is to be processed are significant, resulting in a considerable burden on the electronic money server.
Therefore, in order to construct a system that can be stably operated even when settlements take place at the same time, e.g., at the time of concert ticket sale, it is necessary to enhance the processing ability of the electronic money server. However, the thus-enhanced ability is not required for normal use, and such enhancement leads to an increase of the system cost.
In addition, the cell phone is required to activate the mailer upon each settlement, and for example, when settlement start mail is received while the user is playing a game, the user is required to stop playing the game. Thus, there is a need for a mechanism that is more convenient for users.